Electric locomotive



(No Model.)

' O J. VAN DEPO'ELE.

ELECTRIC LOGOMOTIVB.

No. 353,335. Patented Nov. 30', 1 886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE;

CHARLES J. VAN DEPOELE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC LOCOMOTlVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353.335, dated November 30, 1886.

Application filed April 28, 1386. Serial No. 200,47l. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. VAN DE- POELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illi- ,nois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Locomotives, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to improvements in electric locomotives; and it consists in means for connecting the driving-pulley of the electric motor, by which the electric current used in driving the locomotive is translated into mechanical energy, to the wheels upon which the apparatusis supported; and it further consists in such arrangements of themechanical devices through which the power above referred to is transmitted that either the speed or power of the locomotive can be made to preponderate, according to the results desired, the details whereof will be fully hereinafter set forth. 7

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure l is an elevation of an electric locomotive embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view in elevation,and on a reduced scale, showing a modification of the devices illustrated in the preceding figures.

A is the platform or body, which-is springsupported upon the four driving-wheels B, which will be of asize most suitedto the par ticular purpose for which the apparatus is designed. Suitably mounted upon an axle, D, journaled below the center of the body A, are a pair of intermediate drivers or crank-wheels, 0, provided with cranlrpins d. The intermediate drivers do not, of course, come in contact with the rails, but are provided with connecting-rods 0, extending from the crank-pins d to the driving-wheels B, to which they are connected-by crank-pins b, and by means thereof any movement that is imparted to the said intermediate driver will rotate the drivingwheels B and propel the locomotive' Upon the shaft of the intermediate driver, 0, are secured two friction-gear pulleys, (indicated by the dotted lines E in Fig. 1, and in full lines in Fig. 3.) These pulleys may vary in size, but do not necessarily do so, and when they are of even size, as in the present instance, a single pulley having an extra broad face will answer all purposes.

F is an electric motor, the armatureshaft G of which is provided with two friction-pulleys, H I, which are of different sizes, and,when connected to the intermediate driver through the pulley or pulleys IE, will for a constant speed of the motor impart a different ratio of speed and power thereto, and thence to the main drivers B,as may be desired. The connection between the pulleys H andIon the armatureshaft and the intermediate driving-shaft is made through movable idle-pulleys h i, which are mounted in longitudinal movable frames J K, carried upon the platform A, their inner ends passing through posts or bearingsj k, and their outer ends being articulated to vertical pivoted levers L N, which are provided with adj Listing-screws Z at their free extremities, which screws on bear against a projection, m, or some solid portion of the frame-work. The idle-pulleys h i being thus support-ed in the paths, respectively, of the driving-pulleys H I and the pulley or pulleys E on the intermediate driving-shaft, when either of the ad justingscrews l m is operated, the idle-pulley controlled thereby will be drawn into position of contact and wedged in between the motorpulley and pulley on the intermediate shaft, connecting them, so that the rotation of the armature of the motor is communicated directly through either one of the described trains of friction-gearing to the intermediate driver, and thence to the main driving-wheels.

Retracting-springs n O are attached to the rear end of the frame J K, by means whereof the pulleys are drawn away from their operative position when the adjusting-screws are released; but the said adj ustingscrews can of course be connected to the point against which they thrust, and in that manner he used to force the idle-pulleys out of action.

It will be evident that the sizes of the drivingpulleys on both the motor and intermedi ate shafts, as well as of the idle-pulleys by which they are connected, may possess any ratio or relationship to each other that may be found most advantageous for the particular service desired, the working relationship required being such that by changing the connections the speed of the locomotive will be decreased, but the power thereof very much increased.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a means whereby theidle-wheels J Kmay be duplicated, and instead of a single one being wedged in between the motor and intermediate pulleys, a double set thereof is provided, one being wedged in from each side, so as to afford an ample margin of contact for the transmission of large powers. As shown, pulleys JJ are connected to a vertically-pivoted lever, Q, by links Q Q, and when the lever ismoved in the proper direction the said pulleys .I J are wedged in between the motorpulleys I and intermediate pulley, E. The lever Q is shown as provided with a catch, q, engaging a segmental rack, R, above the motor, and further provided with an adjusting-screw, 0. It may, however, be cut off at any convenient height and provided with a connecting-rod,.or be bent in appropriate form and then pivotally connected to a vertical lever, L, controlled by a screw, precisely as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. This arrangement should of course also be in duplicate.

P N represent the positive and negative commutator-brushes of the motor, which may be ofany well-known form, since the particular construction thereof is not involved in the present invention.

Various other modifications of the abovedescribed invention will naturally occur to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates without in any way departing therefrom.

1. In an electric locomotive, the combination of an electric motor having one or more driving-pulleys, main driving-wheels and connections, an intermediate shaft, to which the driv ing-wheels are mechanically connected, and which is provided with one or more frictionpulleys, one or more idle-pulleys, and pivoted levers, to which the idle-pulleys are connected, said levers being provided with adjustingscrews, substantially as shown and described, whereby the idle-pulleys are held between the motor and intermediate pulleys with the desired degree'of pressure. 1 2. In an electric locomotive, the combination of an electric motor having a plurality of driving-pulleys and of various sizes,driving-wheels supporting the, locomotive, an intermediate driving-shaft provided with friction-pulleys, and also mechanically connected to the driving-wheels, a plurality of idle-pulleys supported in movable frames, pivoted levers controlling the longitudinal movements of the pulley-bearing frames, and adjustingscrews arranged to act directlyupon the pivoted levers for bringing the desired connecting-pulley into action, as set forth.

In an electric locomotive, the combination of an electric motor and an intermediate driving-shaft, to which it is mechanically connected, main driving wheels, supportingsprings between the said wheels and the intermediate shaft and motor, and verticallyyielding mechanical connections between the main and intermediate drivingwheels, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereto affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. VAN DEPOELE:

Vitnesses:

FRANK J. ODWYER, W'ALTER N. SHEAFF. 

